LEFT/RIGHT MADNESS photo by Michael Waite
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LIZA'S PSCHZEIT is a concept that has been a journey of 12 months. Some parts of the Artplay were conceived many years ago but, only recently cast to begin preperations for this theatrical performance in the round. The masks created by Mask'Art, were constructed by the performers and Artisans of thesydneyplayroom.com. They have been constructed from papermache, detailed and painted to capture the Australian landscape, colours and magnificent light.
Psychzeit used in the title of the play and exhibition is invented. It is a simple combination of two other words. Psyche, the mind - soul - and zeit (German for time). Making the term (mindtime) psyche of the time. The psychopathological tendencies that characterize an age or epoch. As you can see, it is also about the soul.
That deep so called mystical aspect of the self, that is hidden within - the mind - and as some describe, continues to exist even after we are dead. I am convinced, that is not the case, but that is another conversation. However, if the 'soul' is buried in our subconscious self and it manifests psychologically, it is 'itself', a perception of the world we create, a state of being and therefore, we are witnessing the passage of time - zeit - via the mind - psyche - hence psychzeit. A crude explanation I admit, but it is only a point of departure.
Notes from the Director Journal. rhm.
1. That antipsychiatricization and demedicalization of Psychopharmacological research, will replace traditional psychoanalysis and the powerful posture of the Psychiatrist.
2. That general practice Doctors and their Patients will now be confronted with the fact, that they all play a part in this modern, pharmaceutical experiment.
3. That, at the same time, Nurses will be limited in their care of the patients, by attending to the needs of too many different conditions, all pushed into the same environment.
4. That we ask., is it behavioral control, what is the purpose and how does it help our understanding of the self in this human age of drug - mental - exploration?
5. Lastly, is 'mental illness' an aesthetic?
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INSTALLATIONS
Along with a sculpture of props from Act 2., the large collection of masks connected to Act 1, the Commedia masks from Act 4. We will present the (psychzeit) display of Act 3. A wall of graphs that indicate changing moods (manic or depressive). This way, visitors to the theatre can see the rise and fall of the markers on the paintings and then connect them with what happened and when. From the start, right up to the final night before the performance, (Artplay) literally from the very beginning of the writing to the end. Original video and music samples from the work, art, sculpture, photographs, conceptual installations, are all displayed as part of the adventure in working with the proposal. Other explanations that detail the process, can be experienced by the audience in the foyer of the theatre.
SOUNDSCAPE
The sounds and noises from the Artplay have been created especially for the presentation. As a basis, the structure is directly connected to the labile mood swings of severe manic depression. Following daily records kept by a bipolar illness patient, we have managed to arrange the highs and lows of mood into composition, thus manifesting a strange and curious music. For instance, if 0 is the center line on the graph, the mood falls toward -5 or climbs toward +5, 0 therefore, is the center line of the musical stave, as B, +1 is C, +2 is D and so on. Moving down from B through the lower two lines of the stave, -2 and -4, become G and E. This gives to the stave, full coverage of all the notes. D = -5 to G = +5. On the Base Clef it will sound very different, but the notes will be played in the same way. The structure will be the same, but the middle (note) line will change to D.
The key of the music will be determined by the changing mood of the play. Some sections will be Major, some will be Minor, Sharps and Flats will occur at peeks and troughs, depending on which direction and with what force the labile mood is traveling. Accents and cords can be made up from any additional data provided. These recordings will be atmospheric sounds played in the gallery as background mood. The performance and exhibition will exist concurrently and therefore associate the research with the sonal installations.
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FLOOR PLAN FOR THE PLATEAU
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SACRED GEOMETRY
The stage is constructed with eight (8) pieces of dance floor bolted together. Creating an area of 16 X 16 feet, it will be raised off the ground to a height of 10 centimeters. Painted flat metallic silver the square sits on top of a gold painted circle. This is created by making a circle from the center of the square to the dissecting points of the vesica of two arcs, the squaring of the circle, a geometric formula. The circle represents the infinite and the square represents the finite. This platform is lit from a suspended lighting grid above the stage. A single light is directly above the center of the stage. The rest of the lights are organized to cover the center circle within the square, the outside circle and the four points of the square. Two circles inside the vesica will be different colours, as will various specials.
E-mail the office: thesydneyplayroom.com
Written and Directed by: RICHARD HAYES-MARSHALL.
Lighting Design by: ALFRED DE'ABREU
Photography by: MICHAEL WAITE
Soundtrack created by: MIMESIS
Sets, Costumes, Props and Masks made by: MASK'ART
Playroom video by: PETER WATT, CARL TAYLOR
On line creativity: thesydneyplayroom.com
Characters Played by: AMIR EL ABBASSY, LOREN GASTON,
PAUL O'REILLY, ALEXANDRA HARRISON, BRENDON WELLS
and JOHANNA FLUHRER.
For information about the Artist's goto thesydneyplayroom.com
© Copyright:Richard Hayes-Marshall June 2001
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